Show Off

Yesterday I shared a photo of a crested green lizard and today with a different shade from the colour palette, this is a Blue Anole (Anolis grahami) which normally lives in central or south America. 

When threatened the male will raise a crest on top of its head, here though it was showing off with the colourful display of the flap beneath its chin.

As well as the colours I love the beaded texture of its skin.

Colour Change Master

This little beauty is a Green Crested Lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) from South East Asia.

There are no prizes for guessing how it gets its name, after all it is a lizard, it is green and it has a nifty little crest. 

Reptiles are really fascinating creatures. I can recall seeing a lizard in the grip of a cat shedding its tail and making its escape while the cat was mesmerised by the still flapping tail left behind. Chameleons have the ability to rotate their eyes through crazy angles and of course they're known for their incredible ability to change colour to blend in with their environment.

Well chameleons don't have the monopoly on colour changing tricks as the Crested Green Lizard can also change from green to brown to signal when it is distressed or feeling threatened. Fortunately, as you can see from this shot this little specimen was totally at ease with me as he posed for this portrait.

Look Into My Eyes!

I am sticking with frogs today and this gorgeous specimen is a Mission Golden-Eyed Tree Frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix). They are also known as Amazon Milk Frogs, so called because when they are stressed they secrete a milky white poisonous fluid.

I think I prefer the Golden-Eyed  Tree Frog because it emphasises its rather beautiful eyes.

I have previously posted a picture of this frog in an earlier post but on that occasion it was a very different view so if you have a moment it's worth checking it out... so click on the link

Whip It!

The very first post when I started my blog back in September 2014 was of a fabulous little frog that I had found in the leaf litter on a walk in the New Forest. That was such a happy memory to share and so if you have a moment why not click on the link and have a look.

I find reptiles and amphibians fascinating and great subjects for photography.

This handsome creature is a Denny's Whipping Frog (Rhacophorus dennysi), a type of tree frog found in China, Laos, Burma and Vietnam. Apparently the female lays her eggs in a nest made of foam which is hung from branches or grasses over the water. They're also known as Chinese Flying Frog.

From the Tropical Realm

This Java Sparrow is one of the many free flying birds in Chester Zoo's tropical realm. It has such a cute face and it perched fearlessly on this stem while I took its portrait.

An Eye For Detail

This is the eye of a Parson's Chameleon. It was shot through glass using an ISO of 2000 so it is slightly grainy as it is enlarged so much.

Chameleons are such fascinating creatures and as I was looking for colour and texture they make a great subject. 

Mystery No More

I promised yesterday that if someone guessed the identity of the spotty coat in yesterday's image I would post a shot of the creature in full.

So true to my word here is a picture of the majestic and powerful Jaguar. I love big cats so much and so I was thrilled to get this shot, it was worth the wait.

Spot The Difference

Not long after my visit to the zoo I did some food shopping and saw a woman at the checkout who was wearing a fur coat/jacket and whether it was real or faux fur I couldn't say but looking at it I felt sad, it didn't look right, it did nothing fr the person wearing it and it would have been much better on the cat. I love the patterns in fur and so I decided to post this crop of one of my shots from the zoo. 

Can you guess which big cat this beautiful coat belongs to.

If someone guesses correctly (and I hope people will have a go) I will post a really great shot of the cat in question tomorrow.

We Are Family...

Yesterday I said I had wanted to share something cute and cuddly and I think I have delivered. Every time I visit Chester Zoo I walk past Lemur island looking for these fantastic creatures but I obviously have never timed it right as they always seem to be hidden away. Until yesterday that is, when for just a few minutes this family group was sat huddled together while a few others were playing around in the trees. 

It wasn't too long however before they scattered and disappeared from view. I'm so glad I got to see them and glad also to share thsi shot with you. 

I'm Watching You!

I went to the zoo today, looking for colour and texture. I found both.

The first shot that I wanted to share was going to be something cute and fluffy and something that I have wanted to see at the zoo on each of my previous visits but they have never been out on display, until today. But, as I was going through the shots I took this one really caught my eye.

I know lizards and dragons won't be everybody's "cup of tea" but when they look at you like this how can you possibly not like this one?

Komodo dragons are very seriously endangered and truly impressive. Behind that smiley face is a mouthful of teeth capable of delivering a deadly bite. 

The Long Border

Today's offering is another view of Chirk Castle from the bottom of the informal garden. 

I have titled today's post "the long border" but actually the hawk house and shrub garden are more visible in the view leading up to the castle. There are some simple but elegant yew topiary as well.

National Treasures

I have taken many photos of Chirk Castle in the past but when I visited last weekend it was my first visit since I got my 17-40mm lens so I was keen to try it out and I really like the perspective in this shot. 
The sky was a bit flat so I have made a slight adjustment in Lightroom to bring the exposure down and introduce a little contrast. I hope you like it.

Green Heart

Now that Valentine's Day is behind us here is one of nature's hearts without any sentimentality.

I love it.

Raindrops, Teardrops, Snowdrops

So today it is Valentine's Day (in case you missed that) and I had thought about posting something romantic but there's enough mush about everywhere else and for those who aren't feeling the love I guess there's no need to inflict anymore on you...

This beautiful clump of snowdrops makes a lovely image, it was suggested to me that they look like fairy's tears and while I'm not sure about that I do think there is something special about them.

Cool as a Cyclamen

Although the main reason for heading to Chirk on Saturday was to see the Snowdrops (and I will be posting some pictures of the Snowdrops in the next few days) one thing that I hoped to see was this wonderful cyclamen. There had been a couple in this spot last year but they were past their best so to find this one was a real treat. I have always been fascinated by the way these flowers slowly unfurl. They look so delicate and beautiful.

Golden Beauty

I think this is a variety of Narcissus called Narcissus pseudonarcissus "Flore Plena" although I am not 100% sure. Whatever it is it is a beautiful and delicate little flower which brings some very welcome  colour and warmth to a winter garden.

I love it and hopefully you will too.

A Winter Tradition

Around this time of year it has become something of  tradition to go to Chirk Castle to see the carpet of snowdrops. In the past I have also been to Attingham Park and other gardens but I think the display at Chirk is my favourite.

I have chosen one shot for today but in the coming days I will be posting more pictures of the snowdrops and some of the other winter flowers which are coming into bloom, bringing a little more colour and heralding the spring. I may also post some images of the castle itself later in the week, so please come back each day to see the new pictures.

Triple Stack

Last October I visited Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire, I had a lovely day exploring this unusual spot and photographing the many rock formations and I even had a nice picnic lunch sat on top of one. 

Towards the end of the day the sky clouded over but the as the sun dipped low it lit up this formation of three stacks, the clouds make a dramatic backdrop in contrast to the warmth of the foreground. 

Red Breast

I had intended to leave the woodland of Mere Sands Wood behind and go back in time for some pictures from a few years ago but I decided I couldn't leave it without posting one more shot of a beautiful robin.

Enjoy

Winter Berries

Today's post is anyone who like me finds the lack of colour in our winter woodlands a bit depressing. 

Don't get me wrong a good woodland walk is always rewarding and there is always something to see but I miss the colours and signs of life which are largely absent during the cold and damp winter months. So a flash of colour from like the bright yellow of the occasional gorse bush or the vibrant red of these berries help lift our woods and heath lands and help keep me going til spring

A Random Post

I couldn't decide on an appropriate post for today so I picked this one.

Fairy Lights

Well not really fairy lights but it's natures equivalent...

Walking yesterday morning  the bushes, which are just beginning to show early signs of spring, shimmered and glowed with raindrops as they caught the early morning sun, adding a magical quality to my woodland walk. This is just one of the reasons I had such a lovely time in the woods.

Birdsong

Early this morning I visited Mere Sands Wood with the intention of photographing wildfowl and even hoped to get a glimpse of the elusive Bittern (sadly it remained elusive). Shortly after I arrived I was serenaded by this beautiful Robin. I was really pleased to capture him mid song.

Moonlight on Marie Louise Lake

The picture for today is exactly what it says in the title. While camping at the Sleeping Giant we were treated to some beautiful weather and lovely clear night skies.

I had hoped to capture some good pictures of the stars but the full moon was so bright it made that very difficult however with the calm lake and clear sky this is a lovely picture. I love the way the lake shore sparkles with the reflected light of the moon. There is one constellation which is visible to the right as we are facing south/south-west however I don't know enough about the night sky to identify it, although I am sure that someone out the will know.

Mini Wookie

Meet Dash. 

The eagle eyed among you will notice that it is not actually a wookie, not even a mini one but a West Highland Terrier or Westie.

I don't normally share pet photos, because I don't have any pets but this little chap is so cute and very photogenic so I couldn't resist putting him up for you to enjoy. Perhaps I should get into doing pet shots for family and friends...